BALTIMORE, March 12, 2026—Kennedy Krieger Institute is renovating its 30-year-old inpatient Recreation Room, creating a vibrant, inclusive and developmentally appropriate space for patients and their families. The project will redesign the existing layout into distinct zones tailored to diverse developmental needs and interests of patients whose ages range from infants to young adults.
Completing hours of therapy each day can be physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausting. The Recreation Room offers patients a rare moment of normalcy—a place to play, connect, and simply be kids. New play materials, games, and sensory equipment will be purchased for each zone. The redesigned room will provide inpatients—many of whom are facing serious medical challenges—with opportunities for therapeutic play, socialization and emotional support, helping ease anxiety, build resilience and strengthen connections with family members and peers.
“Play is essential to healing. It’s empowering for patients and it helps them understand their environment while giving them a sense of control,” says Sharon Borshay, Director of Child Life and Recreation Therapies at Kennedy Krieger. “The space has previously been a one size fits all model, but this renovation will allow us to be intentional. We want every patient to enter the Rec Room and immediately feel comfortable, recognizing a space that’s been thoughtfully designed just for them.”
Renovations are set to begin later this year. New equipment and sensory materials will be installed throughout the summer and fall of 2026. Recently, Kennedy Krieger received a grant from The Toy Foundation to “Fill the Room with Joy” once the renovation is complete. The Child Life and Recreation Therapies team engages patients in purposeful play that supports cognitive, physical and emotional healing. This renovation project is supported by the Charles T. Bauer Charitable Foundation, The Toy Foundation, The Women’s Initiative Network, and individual donors.
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About Kennedy Krieger Institute
Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known, non-profit organization located in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region, transforms the lives of nearly 30,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies, home and community services, school-based programs, training and education for professionals and advocacy. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders or injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop, while at the same time pioneer new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit www.KennedyKrieger.org/ for more information about Kennedy Krieger
